The owner of an iconic New York City Jewish deli that was defaced with a swastika after expressing support for Israel was outraged to learn Wednesday of more symbols of hate found nearby.
Jeremy Lebewohl, owner of 2nd Ave Deli, removed anti-Semitic graffiti from his Upper East Side storefront a day after a tenant notified him that the eatery had been defaced with symbols of hate.
But Lebewohl told The Post he couldn’t believe more swastikas were found at the corner of 75th Street and Second Avenue by a reporter.
“I can’t believe there are more swastikas across the street. I just hope the city realizes that when you hear people doing something wrong, saying something wrong, people can’t stay silent,” Lebewohl said.
“It’s appalling that anyone feels like it’s okay to say they hate anyone at any time,” added the angry diner owner.
“It really triggered people, for holocaust survivors, their families — anyone who was ever afraid to walk down the street and say who they are.”
Swastikas, plus pentagrams and the Star of David are found faintly scrawled on some advertisements.
Yesterday, a tenant advised 2nd Ave Deli owner Jeremy Lebewohl that his Upper East Side storefront had been defaced with a swastika. Today, more Nazi symbols appear across the street.Matthew McDermott “It’s sad that anyone feels like it’s OK to say they hate anyone at any time,” Lebewohl said. “It’s really triggered people, for holocaust survivors, their families – anyone who’s ever been afraid to walk the streets and say who they are.” Gabriela Bass
Lebewohl – whose uncle started a kosher restaurant in the 1950s in the East Village – said the NYPD was “very busy” dealing with other incidents like his and suspected the hate speech was “not a one-off.”
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The swastika in front of his store was discovered Tuesday after the eatery posted pro-Israel content on its social media pages, including an image of the Jewish state’s flag, following the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack.
On Wednesday, a woman named Peggy, who declined to give her last name, was seen hanging posters with pictures of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas around the neighborhood.
“Unfortunately we live in America and we still have people putting up swastikas in New York City. It’s disgusting,” he told The Post.
Hundreds of such posters have appeared around the Big Apple since the Hamas attack on Israel.
This week, New York University students were seen tearing down posters on the downtown campus, and two students at an Upper East Side school were also seen ripping them from a pole on Madison Avenue.
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“It makes no sense to anyone in America – Harvard UPenn, NYU… you all are fighting for the pro-Palestinian people. Go there! contact me I’ll pay for your one-way ticket,” said Peggy.
His friend, who gave his name only as Shaine, agreed, saying people need to “get an education” before tearing down posters and plastering swastikas around town.
At the corner of 75th Street and Second Avenue — just a block from the deli — a swastika, a pentagram and a Star of David mar several advertisements. Gabriella Bass “Unfortunately we live in America and we still have people putting up swastikas in New York City. It’s disgusting,” said one woman as she placed posters of Kidnapped Israelis around the neighborhood. Gabriela Bass Another woman said people need to be “educated” before tearing down posters and pasting swastikas around town. “It is a symbol of Hitler. It’s a symbol of hate and it’s ISIS, and it’s Hamas, and it’s Nazis. It is an absolute abomination.” Gabriella Bass
“It is a symbol of Hitler. It’s a symbol of hate and it’s ISIS, and it’s Hamas, and it’s Nazis. It is absolute hatred,” he said.
After The Post showed Peggy and Shaine the graffiti on Second Avenue, the two women covered the symbol with posters of kidnapping victims and drew a Star of David and a peace sign along the ad space with blue chalk.
Others in the neighborhood also said they “condemn” the disturbing graffiti.
“It’s disgusting. It hates. People don’t understand. They clearly don’t know many Jews and their contributions to the community,” Joel K, 77, who has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years, told The Post.
The owner of the deli said the NYPD was “very busy” dealing with other incidents like his and suspected the hate speech was “not a one-off incident.” Matthew McDermott
“It is very bad what is happening in this matter now. It was terrible,” business owner Lisa Zigelstein, who left Israel 42 years ago with her husband, agreed. “We shouldn’t be doing that kind of thing in America or anywhere. You don’t want to go back to what happened in Germany.
“As a Jew I curse him.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
